The Most Similar Languages to Latvian

Latvian, a Baltic language, is part of the Indo-European family. Despite its unique characteristics, it shares certain similarities with several other languages. According to the eLinguistics.net analysis using specific software modules to assess linguistic relationships, the five languages most similar to Latvian are Lithuanian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Polish, and Slovak.

1. Lithuanian (64.3)
   Along with Latvian, Lithuanian is the other major language that belongs to the Baltic group. These two languages are the closest relatives, sharing a significant amount of vocabulary, grammatical structures, and phonetic features. Both languages have preserved many archaic features not found in other Indo-European languages.
2. Bulgarian (54.1)
   Interestingly enough, Bulgarian shares some traits with Latvian, despite their geographic difference. They share certain grammatical and lexical features, such as the use of definite articles and common Slavic vocabulary roots. Bulgarianhas had historical influences from the Baltic region due to ancient trade and migration routes.
3. Slovenian (52.3)
   Slovenian is another South Slavic language on this list. It has a few similarities with Lithuanian. Both Slovenian and Latvian have some Germanic influences, primarily due to historical interactions with German-speaking regions. However, their vocabulary and phonology still differ significantly.
4. Polish (51.2)
   Poland borders the Baltic Sea, so it is no wonder Latvian and Polish share some similar vocabulary and terminology. While Polish and Lativan have diverged significantly over time, they still share some significant features. The historical interactions and proximity of Poland and Latvia have also led to lexical borrowings between the two languages.
5. Slovak (50.9)
   Slovak is another West Slavic language on this list. It displays similarities with Latvian in terms of certain grammatical constructions and vocabulary words that can be traced back to their common origins in Eastern Europe. The historical migrations and interactions across Eastern Europe mean they have certain overlapping linguistic traits.

(to be considered for the list, the language must be spoken by at least one million people)